


Injured Hero

by FandomsMJ



Series: History No Longer Repeating [2]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen, Injured Link, takes place in a timeline where Ganondorf is trying to break the cycle, tw injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 11:30:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18872323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomsMJ/pseuds/FandomsMJ
Summary: No one had noticed the Lynel up on the ridge, a mistake that could prove deadly to a certain hero.





	Injured Hero

With the Gerudo Desert behind them, the field lay stretched out before them with Hyrule Castle in the distance, dwarfed by Death Mountain. It always amazed Link to see how grand structures built by man seemed so small compared to the natural wonders around it. Not that Death Mountain was close to the castle by any means, but perhaps that made the size difference even more extraordinary.

“Keep staring at the clouds, and your head may end up lost in them,” the voice breaking through his thoughts drew his attention to the gerudo woman on the other side of Zelda. Link frowned in response, less at Usouli’s comment and more at the fact he’d gotten lost in thought while he and the princess were accompanied by none other than the Gerudo King.

Meeting up with Ganondorf and his general on their way to Hyrule Castle hadn’t been intentional. He and the princess had traveled to the desert because she wanted to find some of the rare flowers said to grow there. They just happened to run into the two along the way.

Now that Link thought about it though, he realized that may have been Zelda’s hope. She did always say how they didn’t get to spend enough time with Ganondorf outside of political settings. Which was no problem as far as Link was concerned, he still didn’t buy the king’s claims that he was nothing like his predecessors.

“He’s a little short for his head to be lost in the clouds,” Ganondorf snorted. The rare teasing comment earned a giggle from Zelda and a glare from the knight.

Any reply that may have been given was interrupted by a roar. No one had noticed that up on the ridge was a lynel, but it had seen them and now it was charging. The horses, spooked by the roar, reared back on their hind legs before racing off. Startled by the roar and Epona’s sudden movement Link had lost his grip.

He got to his feet as fast as possible but the lynel was already upon him. The beast swung its weapon and the air was forced out of his lungs as he was thrown several feet. He hit the rock face with a weak grunt, sliding down to the soft grass below. His vision was blurry and fading, but he saw the beast standing over him, preparing to strike the final blow.

Darkness fell, and Link knew no more.

 

The lynel never touched him. Instead a piercing scream of pain echoed as one of Ganondorf’s blades went through the monster’s torso. He pulled the weapon out, sneering in disgust as the lynel fell sideways, sliding down the rock face a small way as it crumbled to dust leaving behind a bit of loot.

The king didn’t care for the dropped crusher or elixir ingredients, instead he sheathed his blade and turned his attention to the knight. Link was slumped against the rock face, battered and bruised. Ganondorf had seen it before, millions of times, a young man – or even a boy – wounded but in those times the hero was still standing, still ready to fight. Seeing him now, unconscious and vulnerable… it was a new sight, and one he found he wasn’t particularly fond of. 

The king knelt down, carefully checking for broken bones. Determining there were none he slid one arm under Link’s knees while the other moved around the knight’s back. He weighed practically nothing to Ganondorf, even with all his gear. He was almost like a child… he supposed by some standards Link was still not quite a man at his young age of eighteen years.

Ganondorf shoved those thoughts from his mind as he made his way to the boulders where Usouli had kept the princess to ensure her safety. The gerudo had been the only rider not knocked off her horse, as evident by the fact the mare stood nearby while the other horses were nowhere in sight. Well not quite, Epona was just at the top of the hill. Of course, whether Ganondorf was knocked off his horse or if he had jumped off to aide Link was known only to the king, and he’d never admit to either.

“Link!” Zelda ran to him, ocean eyes wide in shock and fear at the sight of the injured knight.

“He is bruised, but does not appear to have any broken bones,” Ganondorf informed her, “However, it is best that he be taken to a proper healer. Usouli, lend the princess your horse. She will take him to the castle while we round up the other horses.”

Usouli did as commanded without question, allowing the princess to climb up onto the mare before Ganondorf gently draped Link across the horse’s back. Zelda took off without another word, there was no time to waste.

Ganondorf watched for a moment, before leading the way towards where the horses had run off. The two stallions were easy to gather, but Epona – though she had remained close – was not easy to calm. It seemed his presence always unsettled her. Usouli had better luck, but it was clear Epona remained uneasy.

Still, after a short time they were once again heading back to the castle, Usouli keeping a tight grip on Epona’s reigns to ensure the horse wouldn’t wander away from them. They had been traveling for only a few moments before the general looked over at him, “Something troubles you,” she commented.

He didn’t answer her. His thoughts were his, and his alone.

 

Zelda sat on the edge of the cot, Link’s hand held in a gentle grip as she studied his face. The doctor had informed her that he’d need a few days of bed rest, and he’d be sore for awhile longer afterward, but he would make a full recovery. He was lucky to have not a single broken bone. Though with how he’d hit his head it was possible he had a concussion. They wouldn’t know for sure though until he woke up.

She raised her head when she heard heavy footsteps approaching, her gaze landing on Ganondorf. He stopped beside the bed, crossing his arms across his chest. “Well?”

“He’ll recover,” she replied, returning her gaze to Link’s face. Even unconscious he still looked serious; the corners of his mouth turned down ever so slightly in a small frown. “He got lucky. If he’d been hit a second time…” She shut her eyes for a moment before opening them to look up at Ganondorf, “You saved his life.”

“He would have done the same for me,” Ganondorf answered gruffly. Link had done the same once. Perhaps it not so direct a way, but he had gone on a quest to find an antidote when the Gerudo King had been poisoned.

Once again turning her gaze back to Link she replied, “Yes, he would have.”

There was silence for a moment then she heard those heavy boots shifting as Ganondorf turned. The clomp of boots moved away, and she looked up calling out just as he reached the doorway, “Ganondorf?”

He stopped, turning his head just enough to look at her.

Something was troubling him, she could tell. At the last moment though she thought better than to ask. Instead she murmured a quiet, “Thank you.”

He gave a grunt in response before leaving.

Zelda turned her attention back to Link, moving to brush a lock of hair out of his face. Her time could probably be better spent in her study, or perhaps even attending her father’s meeting with Ganondorf. She wanted to remain here though, beside Link. If only so when he woke he wouldn’t worry what her fate had been. He tended to rest better when he knew she was safe. 

Though that begged the question of if he’d rest at all. He wasn’t exactly known for staying down for long. He’d probably try to be up and moving tomorrow like nothing happened. She wouldn’t let him get away with that of course, but he would probably try.

 

True to Zelda’s prediction, Link had tried getting up not long after he’d woken. Laying down, resting… it just wasn’t his style. He was a man of action. Even if he had to wait, he wanted to be doing something productive in the meantime. Zelda wasn’t having it though, much to his dismay.

At least he’d managed to convince her to let him return to his own quarters so he wouldn’t have to stay in the infirmary. She insisted on going with him though, probably because she knew if given the chance, he’d slip away to the stables to see Epona and make sure she was okay. Or rather, to show his loyal companion that he’d be okay.

Link was quiet as he limped down the corridor, holding his aching ribs. Zelda knew the extent of his injuries; it was no use hiding anything from her. As they passed one of the windows he glanced out and saw Ganondorf and Usouli preparing to ride back to Gerudo Desert. Golden red eyes flicked over to look at the window, almost as if Ganondorf sensed the hero’s gaze. The two exchanged a simple nod.

As the Gerudo King turned away though, Link could have sworn he saw the hint of a smile.


End file.
